Powerless
by Whisperer13
Summary: In a world where Izuku couldn't save his mother and his idol crushed his dreams, he turns to despair and the advice of his rival. In the act of ending his life, a chance encounter will set him on path of salvation may change hero society and the concept of villainy forever.
1. Chapter 1

The shadows bending around the rays of moonlight stretched almost in respect for Deku as he slowly climbed the stairs. His footsteps echoing silently throughout the empty building. As he passed by an empty room, he noticed a small bed, old and unkempt.

He heard her voice echo through his head. The doctor had already crushed his hopes of being a hero already. As he sat there in front of the tv, crying and struggling to maintain a smile, she walked forward and held him close.

Expecting words adding to his sorrow, he felt warmth at what came instead.

" _Don't let what that man said keep you down, sweetie. You can be a hero, quirk or no quirk. You can save anyone."_

For a while, those words kept the pain away. He worked hard to prove her right and she worked just as hard. They had been enough, until…..

He flinched, looking away from the bed, trying not to see her there. Turning up the next flight, he saw the night sky glittering up ahead. The starlight seemed to call to him, little lights guiding him.

Once on the roof, he made his way to the ledge. He felt wrong, almost dirty….for standing where _he_ stood, only hours ago. That man who looked so strong, and then so frail. Yet in that moment of weakness, he delivered a blow more crippling than any smash.

" _You can't be a hero without a quirk"_. He grimaced, feeling hot tears of grief and rage pour down his cheeks. All Might, his idol, crushed his dreams. That smile that inspired so many, inspired him, failed him. Now, that dream was gone, nothing remaining but the edge.

" _Hope you'll be reborn with a quirk and take a swan dive off the building!"_ The thought almost made him smile. Never did he think Kacchan would provide anything useful. In hindsight, it made too much sense. Why hadn't he thought of it before.

Slowly, he removed his shoes and placed them by the ledge. Barefoot, he stood on the ledge and closed his eyes, feeling the cold wind caress him. It seemed to be welcoming him, whispering _be free_.

"I'm sorry, mom," he whispered. "I'll be better next time."

With that, he let go. The wind whipped upwards at him, blending with the thumping of his heart. As the ground hurtled towards him, he felt happier than he had in a long time. But then….

" _Super!"_ he cried from the top of her shoulders, laughing as they flew around the park.

In a moment of pure instinct, he reached out towards the ledge rushing by. He cried out as he felt his right arm dislocate violently. The fall was slowed, but not stopped. The pain was crushed with the blinding agony of his body smashing against the concrete.

Blood spurted from his mouth and bone pierced broken in his limbs.

In that moment, he felt scared. He didn't care what happened next or why he chose to stop, he didn't want to die.

"M-Mom," he croaked weakly. "S-Someone!" He flashed through his mind, that smile burning his vision. He growled.

"No, Not you!" He screamed as he forced himself onto his stomach and began to crawl. Where? He didn't know. He fought against the agony until his body wouldn't allow him to go any further.

As his vision began to darken, he saw a figure appear. A strangely hunched figure, with multiple hands, even one over its face. It reached down and picked him up.

"Its okay," it rasped. "I'm here."

Just before he blacked out, he could've sworn he saw another figure. One hidden in the darkness of a nearby alley. The moonlight distorting its features. The final image burned into his mind was that of wide, inhuman smile.

Shigaraki looked on as the boy lay on the table, his master operating on him. He was using that cell quirk. He watched in fascination as the twisted bone and tendons snapped back into place and mended under his master's hands.

His voice grew more ragged as he worked, until he stopped and backed up. Shigaraki rushed over to help support him.

"Thank you, Tomura," he said wearily, steadying himself.

"I'm sorry to make you do this, master," he replied sheepishly. His looked back at the boy. His wounds were mostly healed, thought there were a few noticeable breaks and cuts remaining.

"No, this is good. You took initiative and merely required extra, non-conventional help," he said. "Though I am curious, why did you take an interest in him?"

Tomura remembered earlier that day when he had been watching the spy cams. Master had developed them to follow All Might secretly, watching for weakness.

He had been dwelling on his hatred and twisted ideas of murdering the 'symbol of peace' when the kid came in. He was being attacked by that sludge villain, whatever his name is.

At first he hated the kid who worshipped All Might, just like everyone else. Then when he took off with the kid in tow, they had to land. He almost dropped the bottle containing the villain, but the kid managed to catch it in time.

Then _the_ moment. That frail and twisted appearance almost made Tomura laugh. He had heard of it from his Master's lessons, but this was priceless. That mountain of muscle turned skeleton.

But then…..

"It was his eyes," he said quietly. "That look in his eyes when All Might said...whatever he said." In that moment, Tomura saw something. A broken soul, a near perfect reflection. "I'm not sure to be honest. I guess it was a gut feeling."

His master looked at him momentarily before slowly exiting the room.

"I'm off to the lab to rest. Let me know when he wakes. Let's hope your gut has a good sense, eh?"


	2. Chapter 2

Bakugo was barely listening to the teacher's lesson. His head was swimming with ideas of how to wreck all those weaklings trying to get into UA. It wasn't official, but only the strongest become heroes.

He grinned as he imagined himself wrapped in fine cloth and praised by everyone. All Might behind him, patting him on the back. He could almost hear his name being chanted.

 _Bakugo, Bakugo, Bak-_

"BAKUGO!" He jumped at the teacher's loud voice.

"Still with us? You need to be ready for this test, I expected this drifting off from Midoriya, but I guess you're replacing him today, huh?" He turned back to the board.

Bakugo looked over to see Midoriya's desk empty. He frowned.

 _That clown never misses a day. Even when he's sick._

He smirked. Maybe he scampered off and moved knowing he'd never beat me. Though despite that, he couldn't help but feel a little sorry for the little weakling. He wasn't sure how he'd be if he lost his own mother. But Deku always seemed pretty bright regardless, though there was always this sort of desperate air about him.

He never took much notice of it before, why should he now?

Then he was gone the next day. And the next. On the fourth day, it was starting to bug him. _Where could he be?_ He even overheard the teachers talking about it. When his own started asking students about him, his irritation turned into something he couldn't quite identify.

On his way back home, he remembered vaguely seeing Deku heading off towards some office building. They were doing a paper on business a few days ago, so he didn't think much of it.

But as he reached that building again, he remembered what he had said to Deku. The little punk thought he could get into UA as a quirkless wannabe. He had to teach him a lesson. His blood went cold as he remembered the last thing he said. _Take a swan dive off…._

 _No, no, no. He wouldn't do that. He's not that stupid._ Shaking his head, he kept walking. He only made it a few feet before his fear got the better of him. Turning around, he raced towards the building. When he reached the top, he looked around for any signs.

He breathed a sigh of relief. _What the hell was I-_

His heart nearly stopped as he saw a pair of red shoes set against the ledge. _No, no, no. no. no!_

Running over, he looked over the edge and into the street below. It was usually pretty clear and abandoned. In the fading sunlight, he saw a faint, reddish mark on the ground. _Oh God, what have I done? What have I done?! What have I done?!_

That dork really did it. Why did he even say that? He gripped his head and let out a frustrated yell as fear flooded his mind.

His body must've been nicked by some freak villain. That's why no one found him. No one knows. _No one but me….._

Gulping, he grabbed the shoes and ran. He ran and ran until he got home. He ignored his parents and slammed his bedroom door shut. There he sat on his bed, shoes in front of him.

Tears flowed down his cheeks as he sobbed. Why did he say that? Deku didn't deserve that. Why didn't consider the nerd's feelings more.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm so sorry." As futile as they were, he repeated those words for hours.

Izuku's eyes opened to a dim light. Groaning, he sat up, wincing as pain cut through him.

 _Wait, I'm alive?_ He should've died from that fall. Then he remembered the figure that he saw. The man with multiple hands. As if on cue…

"Awake, are we?" He turned to see a figure in a dark body suit sitting in an old chair to his right. The man had messy, light blue hair. His other features were obscured by a white gloved hand.

 _That get up….is he a hero? No,something doesn't feel right._

"W-Who are you?" he asked hesitantly.

He chuckled. "I was expecting a thank you. Either way, my name doesn't matter right now."

 _Probably a villain. Heroes aren't typically secretive. Well….most heroes._

He looked around and saw that the walls were dirty and covered grime. The scent of alcohol wafted from somewhere beyond the doorway.

"Where are we?"

The man stood, his hands spread out to either side. "I can't give the exact location. But allow me to welcome you to the League of Villains' headquarters."

Izuku's heart thudded heavily. _League of Villains? They have an organization? What do they want with me?_

He struggled to get up, regretting it instantly coursed through his body. He doubled over, his vision blurring.

"Easy. My master was able to heal you, but only just. Let's go meet with him. He's anxious to meet you."

Unable to think clearly, he could only remain silent as he was lifted and put into a wheelchair and wheeled out the door. As his vision slowly refocused, he made out what looked like a bar, with a man in a suit standing behind the counter,

"Izuku Midoriya, a pleasure to meet you." The voice sounded strangely echoed. Looking at the man, he realized that his head was made out of a strange black substance that twisted coiled, with two glowing yellow eyes.

"I wouldn't get too friendly with him yet, Kurogiri," his caretaker said irritably. "The master still has to meet him."

They stopped in front of a large TV, with several smaller ones surrounding it. A green light turned on and the screen flickered to life. The image, though fizzy, was of a shadowy man with irregular features. An almost cylinder like head with pipe work.

"Glad to see you awake, young Izuku," he said in a calm, businessman type voice. "The damage to your body was quite extensive. I was able to repair the more serious bits, but everything else will be left to time."

 _This villain saved me? Why?_

"From the look on your face, I assume you have questions."

"Y-Yes," he replied. "Who are you? What do you want from me?"

"As Tomura has probably told you, we are the League of Villains. We are a secret organization of those deemed by society as unlawful."

"As for what we want from you," the man called Shigaraki said, standing in front of him, "We want a few things. Information for starters."

Izuku frowned. _What information could I provide them?_

"Why did you try and kill yourself?"

The question hit him hard. That feeling of despair and sorrow filled him, leaving him yearning to be back on the ledge. But through that despair cut a strange light, a blend of two feelings. One was a vague, primal one, a desire to survive? The other though….

He gritted his teeth. "Because All Might, my hero, my idol, took my dreams and crushed them!"

It all came flooding out. The years of abuse at the hands of Bakugo for being quirkless, the death of his mom, and All Might's harrowing words.

When he finished, he realized he was crying and his struggling to breathe. He felt a gloved hand rest on his shoulder. Looking up, he saw Shigaraki standing over him, his face unreadable.

"It's okay, kid," he said softly. "I know what you're going through." He would've snapped at that age old line, but something in his voice gave Izuku pause.

" That abyss so deep that you think you'll never crawl out. But there's always a way out. If the light can't show you anything, then claw through the dark until you find a foothold."

He looked towards the screen. "Master, what do you think?"

The man was silent for a moment. Izuku felt his heart pounding faster as the tension grew. Strangely though, it wasn't for fear of death, but in fear of being left alone.

"If he wishes, he can remain with us for a time. Let him think on things and decide what he wants from life."

They both looked at him expectedly. He was silent for a few minutes. _Stay with villains as a guest. But what would that make me?_ He saw All Might, that symbol of peace and hope for so many, but the image was smudged and warped. He wasn't sure anymore.

"I'll stay," he said quietly, accepting the offer, trying to ignore the feeling of an almost devilish grin spreading on both men's unseen faces.


	3. Chapter 3

_He was flying through the air, his face a beacon with a flashing smile as the people looked up at him with awe. They called his name, whether it was a hero name or his real one, he didn't know. It didn't matter._

 _To his left, he heard a cry for help and rushed over to save a child from a burning building. A few streets away, he heard more calls for help and found a group of villains with monstrous limbs and teeth attacking a group of civilians._

 _Feeling righteous anger, he flew at them and with a few kicks and punches, sent them into the ground. Everyone cheered and thanked them. All the while, he felt happy that they could smile without fear._

" _Izuku," a voice called. He froze. This voice was weaker, almost deathly, yet hauntingly familiar. He flew into the air and followed the voice._

" _Please, over here." He pressed on, going as fast as his body would let him. Finally he reached a small apartment._

 _Wait, this is my apartment, he thought confused. The person must be nearby. As he turned to look around, the voice sounded again._

" _Please, sweetie."_

 _His heart felt chilled as his mother's voice rang out. Turning, he flew forward and nearly knocked down the front door. Once inside, he rushed down the hall toward's his mother's room. Mixed with his fear was rage. What twisted villain would harm a defenseless woman? His own mother!?_

 _Finally reaching the door, he pushed it open and raised a powerful fist for whatever monster awaited._

 _The room was empty, save for a thin figure on the bed. His mother looked at him, a weak smile on her face. A face, normally beautiful, was now thin and pale, with discolored veins pulsing beneath. Her vibrant green eyes looked faded._

" _Sweetie, it's okay. Come here."_

 _He ran forward, surprised and concerned. "Who did this to you?" he asked quickly, taking her hand. "What kind of quirk-?_

 _Her hand touched his cheek as she weakly laughed. "It's not like that dear. No villain did this, just my own reckless self."_

 _He blinked, even more confused now. Behind the confusion however, was a shadowy feeling of familiarity. He ignored. His mother needed help._

" _I'll get you to a hospital. They can help you."_

 _He tried to pick her up, but was stunned when he couldn't even lift an inch. Looking at his arms, they were now small, short, and thin. "What the-? He started, startled by the higher pitched voice that rang out._

" _It's no use, honey," his mother said, coughing violently. "There's nothing you can do." Her breathing began to slow, her hand slowly falling away._

" _Mom!' he cried, grabbing her hand. "I-I can fix this. A hero can always-_

 _You can't be a hero without a quirk. The shadowy presence took on the form of a frail man with dark eyes,_

 _Turning back, he saw his mother's eyes were grey and her chest still._

" _MOM!" he screamed, holding her tightly as the darkness flooded in, bringing pain, sorrow, and a feeling of powerlessness._

He sat up in bed, his body cold with sweat. His breathes came out quick and ragged. Looking around, he saw he was in a dirty walled room, his new home.

"Just a dream," he said weakly. Laying back down, wincing as his body ached. The wounds still hadn't fully healed.

Had it really only been a few days? The events in the past few hours made time feel stretched, made worse by the conflicted feelings.

Why did he try to stop the fall? Why did these villains really want him? Where should he go? What should he do?

The first question threatened to bring him back into that darkness, so he instead focused on the last. He didn't feel like returning to his old life, not to the bleak life of school and abuse from Kacchan. But to stay with the villains?

If All Might himself had cast him aside, what hope was there in the other heroes? These men, mysterious as they were, had not only saved him, but given him a place to stay. Shigaraki was quiet, though there was sense of tension whenever he was near. Kurogiri was nice enough, though he always called him by his full name, which was odd.

The man in tv was something else entirely. Even though he wasn't in the same room, he couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. Like his power radiated through the screen.

Unable to stop the flow of thoughts, he pushed himself back up and off the bed, making his way out of the room. Walking back into the main area, he saw Kurogiri standing there as always.

"Hello, Izuku Midoriya," the warp villain said. "How may I be of service?"

"Umm," he started, unsure. "What does the 'league' want exactly?"

The warp villain stopped working and focused on him. "Do you wish to join?"

"N-No. I mean….I'm not sure. I've always thought villains as just thugs abusing their quirks, but…."

"I can't give all the details, for I myself know only a few things." _And unwilling to share others_ , his tone seemed to indicate. "But what i can say is that the league wishes to…. _remake_ society to an extent."

 _Well that doesn't sound ominous,_ he thought. Sighing, he sat down at the bar and asked for water.

Shigaraki sat in front of the table in his room, staring at the gloved hand. "Father," he said quietly. "What should I do?"

Bringing the kid into their base was a risk, even if Master was okay with it. He couldn't fully pinpoint the reason why. The story the kid told, specifically the one about that brat, Baka...something. How defenseless he was, helpless…...

 _He sat alone, surrounded by blood and dust. He cried and called for help. But no one came. Even as he wandered the streets, no one paid any mind. "A hero will come and help."_

 _He sat in an alleyway, letting the darkness settle in. Then he appeared._

" _They just ignored. Oh, a hero will come help, right. But it's okay." The figure reached out a hand. "I'm here for you." Looking up through teary eyes, he saw himself in the metal mask._

 _A small, weak little boy with messy hair, a dirty face, and haunted eyes. Eyes that no longer saw the light. But then….._

"Hey Tenko," a distant voice said warmly. "Let me teach you how to play."

Suddenly, that dark moment dulled slightly. He blinked. Where had that come from? But his thoughts were overtaken by a sudden realization. With it, came an idea.

"-and I was the only person in class who got that portion of the test correctly" Izuku went on. "Even though biology wasn't my strong suit. Didn't make me anymore popular."

Kurogiri chuckled. "You have an acute mind, Izuku Midoriya. Your talents far outclass your position."

Before Izuku could thank him, he heard footsteps behind him. Turning, he saw Shigaraki walking from a dark hallway. His hand mask was still on.

"Up already, eh?" he asked.

"Y-Yeah," Izuku stammered nervously. "I...couldn't sleep."

Shigaraki nodded, then turned to Kurogiri. "Is the tutorial room cleaned up?"

 _Tutorial room?_

Kurogiri sighed. "Yes, the _training_ room is in good condition."

"Good," he said, gesturing for Izuku to follow him. "Come with me."

His tone was soft, but final, so he complied.


	4. Chapter 4

_Wham_

Izuku fell to his knees, gasping for air as he gripped his stomach. The pain wouldn't have been so bad if it didn't radiate throughout his still healing body. Any harder, he feared his wounds would open up.

"You left yourself open again," Shigaraki said in an annoyed tone as he cracked his knuckles. "Stand up. We go again."

Sighing frustratedly, Izuku stood up and got into his fighting pose.

It had been two weeks since these training sessions with Shigaraki had started. Despite the fact that his body was still recovering, he held nothing back, further adding to his injuries.

His progress was slow, as Shigaraki reminded him. Despite this, he kept trying to fight.

He lashed out and went with a right hook, followed by a kick. Both were dodged and Shigaraki responded with his own blows. Izuku blocked the first one, but the second and third knocked back and left him dazed.

"Come on, brat," Shigaraki taunted lazily. "I didn't keep you from being a statistic just to be disappointed."

That made his blood boil. Gritting his teeth, he charged forward and lashed out faster and harder. This time, Shigiraki had to physically block one the blows before returing with a vicious kick to the stomach.

Izuku fell to his knees and retched. Over his wheezing breathes, he heard footsteps approaching.

"You must not break him, Tomura Shigaraki," Kurogiri's voice sounded, with a touch of concern and annoyance.

Shigaraki stepped forward and grabbed Izuku by the head, turning it to face him. He was too dazed to resist. Looking into his eyes, he smirked behind the mask.

"Don't you worry," he said calmly. "This one's already broken. I'm just trying to fix him."

Those words cut through the haze of pain and confusion. _Already broken._

He barely heard what the two said next as they left, going to meet the Master for something.

He laid down on his back and tried to ignore the dull ache all over his body. He hated these lessons. He hated the pain and ridicule. Though that anger helped him fight better, it still failed him.

But what bothered him more was the feeling lurking beneath that anger. A sort of desperation. Why was he desperate? And why was the blurred and nearly faded image of All Might now shifting, turning into something more twisted and dark, yet familiar?

"How is his progress?" Master's voice resonated from the tv, commanding all his focus. Kurogiri had teleported them to the lab, the green glow of the containment tube casting an eerie feeling over him.

"Slow. He's a quick learner, but he's lacking something. It's really annoying." He scratched his neck in irritation. No matter how hard he pushed, the kid never went all out. Though commenting on his 'attempt' seemed to trigger something, it was only for a few seconds.

"Izuku Midoriya has a keen mind. He would be more useful in other parts of our operations," said Kurogiri. "He should serve some purpose, should he not? Else we are taking unnecessary risks." Shigaraki sneered, scratching his neck more rapidly.

"Going soft, are we?" He wasn't wrong though. A few news outlets had already noted his absence. He wasn't anyone important enough for any pro heroes to start looking, though. Orphans weren't all that wanted right?

"Kurogiri does have a point, Tomura," his master chided him. "Our sources tell us that he was noted by his teachers to have acute understanding of quirks, as well as their strengths and weaknesses. He could assist us in developing Nomu."

Tomura's eyes shifted over to the large green vat containing a massive dark figure. It had in development for the past few weeks. The candidate was a low life thug that wouldn't be missed. Infused with multiple quirks and physically enhanced, he was the ultimate weapon. The thought gave him an idea.

"What if we give the kid a quirk? He'll improve quicker that way."

His master was silent for a moment. "That would involve telling him of my abilities. He has potential, but we can't be too reckless."

He wanted to protest, but he never had reason to question his master.

"That being said, continue with what you are doing. But while training him, find a way of reading him, see if he is trustworthy and willing to join us."

He bowed his head. "As you wish." He turned and walked towards Kurogiri. "And Tomura," he stopped. "Though he is young and in need, he may be a hidden font from which you can gain. Learn from him as he learns from you."

Shigaraki said nothing. As Kurogiri's dark tendrils enveloped them, confusion gnawed at him. What could he learn from that kid? Sure, he felt a kind of connection to him, but in the end, he was just a kid he saved from being a lost statistic in this wretched society.

But the more he thought of it, the more the memory of that broken, lost child that master saved years ago changed. His eyes, hair and _that look_ changed. What was happening?

The next day, Izuku was on his back, sore and exhausted. The session had been the same as usual. Before he could prepare for the next attack, Shigaraki reached out a gloved hand, with only 3 fingers and a thumb.

 _Why does he always do that?_ Grabbing his hand, Tomura pulled him up and steadied him.

"I'm pausing this fight for a bit." He walked over to the wall and sat down. After a moment, he gestured for him to sit as well. Hesitantly, he walked over and sat next to him. A few, awkward moments passed as they sat in silence.

"Why are you here?" The question caught him off guard.

"W-What?"

You've been healed and decided not to die, right?" He continued, scratching his neck. "You've been here for weeks. You haven't asked anything of us besides a bed and food."

He didn't respond, for he didn't know the answer. In all honesty, he no longer saw anything worth pursuing in life, but he didn't want to die, as tempting as it was.

"The police are looking for you. Surely you'd want to leave, right? Go home and-

"That wasn't my home!" He snapped suddenly, immediately covering his mouth afterwards. Shigaraki tensed up slightly, the scratching ceased.

Izuku blinked. He didn't know why he reacted like that. The home he had been raised in since mom died wasn't bad. The woman watching him was an old friend of hers, so she had taken him in at her request, She had been nice, but never really made much of a connection, nor did he.

"My home was with my mom, before I still dreamed of being a hero. When I thought I could be something without a quirk. But now she's gone, and my one idol destroyed that dream."

"But you can still think you can be something without a quirk?" Izuku turned and frowned, unsure of how to answer. Shigaraki's voice had taken on a softer, unreadable tone.

"I don't see how," Izuku finally replied. "Having one makes someone special. Be able to hope and dream with certainty. A gift I wasn't given."

"A gift, huh?" Shigaraki picked up a piece of broken concrete with three fingers. Izuku looked at it, expecting something flashy or surprising, like super strength. To his shock, it disintegrated into dust when all five fingers touched it.

"A gift that can kill. No matter how flashy and awe inspiring they are, that's a simple fact. That's what most people fail to realize until-" he stopped. He turned to look at Izuku, his eyes not softened, but less menacing than before. "If you could be given a quirk, would you accept it? Just to be a hero?"

Izuku was about to answer, but then that darkness hissed from the back of his mind. That skeletal face with piercing blue eyes. With it came a feeling of anger, a defiant anger. Kacchan's and Shiragraki's words were like knives, carving away at what he always believed and hoped. After a moment of this tempest of thought, an answer emerged.

"No."

Tomura felt something stir in response to the conviction in his voice. A kid this broken by life could muster up that kind of resolve? The feeling, he realized, was pride. He almost smiled.

"Well then, quirkless kid," he said, standing up. "Let's see what you can be without it." For a brief moment, All Might was gone from his mind. All he could see was the hunched, dark form of Shigaraki. The sensation passed, but regardless, he smiled and stood, readying himself for another fight.


	5. Chapter 5

3 hours. That's all he had left now to save lives. Even though it had been this way for 5 years, he hadn't grown to accept it. Toshinori clenched his teeth in anger as his form shrunk from the perfect symbol into image of weakness.

He had been lucky enough to find an abandoned alley to hide in. Once shrunk, he took his costume and pulled out a bag, hiding away his pride. Walking out into the fading sunlight, no one paid him any mind, save a few who regarded him with discomfort.

It almost made him smirk. He almost wished he could be among them, ignorant of the responsibility. But in the end, this path was the right one and only he could do it. No one needed to know. Except…..

The sounds of yelling and crying echoed from a nearby park. Looking over, he saw 5 kids. 3 with active quirks and the other two…

He blinked. They didn't have any quirks activated. One cowered in fear while the other stood his ground, his eyes teary and his legs shaking.

"Look at him," one kid jeered. "Maybe he has a vibrating quirk."  
"Not much help!" another laughed, his hand becoming rocky.

Anger flared up in him. How kid little kids treat each other so cruelly? He almost activated one for all, give these kids a stern talking to from a position of inspiration. But his chest tightened and his breathing stalled. Gasping for air, he stopped and settled for a more practical approach.

"Hey!" he yelled, raising a fist. "Leave those kids alone!"

They looked over at him. One pointed at him and screamed "Oh God! A Zombie! Run!"

The bullies fled. After a moment, the two kids looked at him and ran off too. Though the one who had stood against the bullies looked back and nodded before disappearing out of sight.

After a moment, he kept walking. As he approached his home, he thought on what had happened. Those kids were quirkless. Those bullies were abusing their powers. That concept made him feel anger few things can were capable of. Despite the odds, that kid had stood up to them, despite being quirkless. Admirable, but in this world, how could anyone without a quirk hope to protect?

 _Can I be a hero without a quirk?_

He stopped just as he reached his home, his hand hanging inches from the doorknob, There was that kid. It had been 2 months ago and nothing had come of it. But he couldn't shake that conversation out of his head. His honesty was harsh, but there wasn't anything else he could've done that wouldn't have been crueler.

Without a quirk, no one can be hero. That was that. At least that's what he told himself. By this point, it wasn't enough. The image of the tall, thin blonde kid standing before _her_.

" _I want to make a world where everyone can laugh and treat each other fairly. All with a smile on their faces."_ His hands had been shaking with excitement. His _quirkless_ hands.

He lay there, hours later as the night dragged on. Finally, he grabbed his phone and dialed a number. After a few rings, someone picked up.

"Hello?" a high pitched voice said.

"Hello Sir," he responded. "Sorry to bother you."

"Ah no worries. I'm still up working on papers. How can I help you?"

"Umm…" he wasn't sure why he called honestly. Something he couldn't explain.

"What's the lineup of people trying out for this year?" Maybe one could be a successor. He hadn't found one yet.

"They're still coming in. A few thousand is speculated. But a few have been entered thanks to recommendations. One of them is Endeavour's sone, Shoto."

He had promise, but he didn't know much of his character though.

"I suspect there's something else you're calling about." He wondered if his quirk was mind reading instead of high spec.

"It's just…..," he started, "this will sound sudden, but what are your thoughts on people who are quirkless?"  
There was silence for a moment. "They're people. In many ways, they're relics of the old world that should be treated with respect."

"I know," he said. "But I mean….if they can be heroes?"

"Hmmmm." He could almost hear the cogs in that mouse's head turning. "An odd concept. I don't know of any cases of a quirkless individual being a hero. But if a mouse can, shouldn't they?"

He almost smiled at the humor. But the advice made him feel worse than before.

"Why do you ask?"

"Ah, it's nothing. Just a random thought, having trouble sleeping."

"Alright," he could hear the unconvinced tone his voice."Well, call if you need anything."

"I will, thank you." He hung up, letting the silence back in.

The image of that kid, Izuku Midoriya, flashed in his mind. The vibrant joy in his face at meeting the symbol of peace. The uncertainty when asking the question of his future. It was the look of shock and despair when he told him that his hopes were pointless that hit him. That was bad timing, the coincidental words of a bitter man.

Hypocritical even. Though the circumstances were….

 _Don't think about that. About her._ That was a different time. Things were more clear then.

He sighed and turned over, trying in vain to sleep. He wondered where that boy was now. Had he taken his words to heart and tried a different path? Or maybe he ignored his advice and still fought to be a hero, like that kid in the park earlier.

Regardless, he couldn't worry about that. What harm could one statement do?

Izuku heard a knock at his door. Opening it, he saw his mentor standing there.

"Master wants to speak with you. Suit up and let's go."

Nodding, he threw on his dark hoodie and red shoes. He wondered what the master wanted from him. Maybe he wanted to see how much he was worth. Or to tell him that they don't need him and….

He shook his head. Shigaraki wouldn't have put that much effort into training him for nothing.

He hurried out the door and followed Tomura towards the bar where Kurogiri.

"You ready?" he asked.

"I hope so," he said nervously.

Kurogiri appeared in front of them and began his teleportation. Izuku felt his stomach churn and spin as the black substance enveloped them. After a moment, his vision cleared and they were in a different place.

It appeared to be a lab, with vials, blinking devices and vats of strange liquid. One of which, to his shock, had a large, black form inside. Before he could inspect it, he heard a voice call out to him.

"Hello, Izuku." It was the master's voice, but it sounded clearer. Turning, he saw a figure sitting in a chair, partially obscured by shadows. What little he could see however, sent chills down his spine. IV tubes wove into scarred, warped flesh that made up his face. Whatever damage there was lay hidden under a business suit.

"S-Sir," he said nervously.

"My apologies for my appearance, as well as the sudden call." He gestured to a man next to him, almost as obscured. "The doctor wouldn't permit me to leave in my condition." The tone in his voice leaked sarcasm.

Izuku nodded. _What kind of damage did he take?_ Whatever quirk it was must have been horrifying. More amazing was the fact that he was still alive.

"You're probably wondering why I brought you here," he continued.

"Well yes," Izuku said slowly, his nervousness rising. "I a-assume you wanted to check on progress and….where I stand?"

He smiled warmly, though the scars made it anything but. "Along those lines yes. You see, Izuku, you've been with us for a few months now. In that time, you've grown strong and close to my student. Yet, you don't know what we want nor what _you_ want."

Izuku was silent. It was true. Despite all they had given him and how much Shigaraki had trained and made him strong, he still wasn't sure what he wanted. He had felt something momentarily during that conversation he and his mentor, but he couldn't make sense of it.

"I don't want to go back to my old life," he started, hardening his voice. "There's nothing worth going back for. But I'm not sure if I should stay and help with….whatever you're doing." He glanced at the dark figure in the tank.

"You can see that it's a work in progress," Shigaraki said, scratching his neck irritably.

"Now, now, Tomura," the master chided. "Despite his experience in the past few months, he is still but a child. Perhaps we can now give him some insight into who we are and what we want."  
There something in his voice that made him feel uncomfortable. This was further added to by the sensation of his mentor standing behind him and placing his four fingered grip on his shoulders. The message was clear. If you want to know, your answer is either yes or death….

"His thoughts drifted back to his mom. To what she would want. But the image of her was faded and hard to discern. For the first time, he was on his own.

He took a deep breath. "Okay. What are you after?"

"It's not so much _what,_ but _who_ ," the master said. He gestured to a small tv screen and an image flicked on. Before them was a familiar, large figure with flashy blonde hair and a blinding smile. As others in the screen smiled and felt hope, Izuku felt his lip curl and anger boil within him.

"The so-called _symbol of peace_ , All Might," Shigaraki sneered, his grip on his shoulders less threatening, but in his voice only increased. As they watched, a group of villians were attacking a public area. Everyone, even those with more than formidable quirks cowered and ran, all becuase they weren't 'heroes'. Then the symbol himself swooped in and took down the villains with a few quick blows and peace was restored.

He remembered what Shigaraki had said about quirks and the danger each one had. When he saw those people running instead of fighting, his contempt spread from All Might to them. How could they be so helpless when they had the power to fight back when he didn't?

"You see it, don't you?" The master's voice drew him out of his anger. "That image blinds the world to it's own weakness. They look up to him and expect him to solve everything."

"Rather than looking at themselves and solving their own problems." His mentor's voice had a trace of a quiver.

Izuku looked up at him and saw, through the fingers of his mask, eyes full of pain and anger that made him feel pitiful in comparison.

"The world forgets about the shadows of this world, the kind that can shake it to it's foundations," the master continued, his voice growing loud and bold, almost like a preacher fortelling the end times. "From their dream of peace, we will wake them up and remind them." With that he gestured to the figure in the tank, which Izuku could have sworn had gotten bigger in the past few minutes.

Taking in those words and looking at that thing, Izuku put together what they were doing. The thought brought up feelings of horror and, for the boldness of such a task, admiration.

"You're going to kill him," he said quietly. The master grinned, no warmth being used to mask his perverted desire.

"Do you not like that?" his mentor said. He didn't respond right away. It wasn't surprising that these villains wanted to kill All Might. What villain wouldn't want him dead? But the confidence and anger in their declaration made the idea of it happening more possible. Izuku moved away and towards the figure. Placing his hand on the tank, he looked into that darkness beyond. He hated All Might. He hated how weak he made people. But to kill him? For a moment, he saw his own reflection. His face had a few scars from his _attempt_. The most noticeable changes were in his hair and eyes. Whatever the master's quirk had done to his cells obviously wasn't perfect. Mutations in the cells had turned his hair dark, almost black. His right eye, once vibrant green, was now white and haunted.

His appearance reignited his anger and cast away any doubt. All Might had done this. How many others would suffer in the lie he made?

 _Izuku,_ a voice called weakly. He shook his head and turned to face them. Shigaraki stood with his arms crossed, one hand scratching his neck. Kurogiri stood behind, his glowing eyes unknowable. The master sat in darkness, his eyes(if he had any), boring into him.

"I'll help you," he said. "However I can."

Shigaraki chuckled and clapped. "Well done kid! We'll show that bastard what-"

"But I have a few terms." Shigaraki stopped. He glanced at the master, who gestured with a hand for Izuku to continued.

"I want a share of anything this group gets. Money, weapons, etc."

They nodded.

"I want intel on any missions pertaining to this."

They nodded, albeit more reluctantly.

"I'll help fight and get whatever you need. But I won't kill anyone. Not other heroes or civilians."

"You're helping us kill the symbol of peace," Tomura said coldly. "You'll be guilty by default."

Izuku felt a lump in his throat as he tried to counter. "Killing him is one way of beating. I know another way."

The master moved, sitting forward. All eyes turned to him in shock. "Do tell, young Izuku." his voice carried a message of knowing.

Izuku told them what he saw and learned the day he met All Might, his weakened state and limit.

As he talked, he saw the look in Tomura's eyes change from anger to something unknowable.

After he finished, there was silence. Then…

"You want to destroy his image," the master said.

Izuku nodded. "Killing could be a last resort."

Tomura made a sound of annoyance and looked to his master. "Killing him would be easier. Wipe the bastard out for good. Even you want him dead."

The master chuckled. "True. But as I have tried to teach you, Tomura. This society is much like the hydra of legend. Cut off a head, more will take it's place. Killing All Might, while a heavy blow, will pave the way for another. We must sever the head and burn the stump. Break that pillar he has built."

He turned to Izuku. "And you will be a part of this. You're information is essential. It appears that we'll have to make modifications to Nomu." He nodded to the thing behind Izuku.

"What is it?"

"An artificial creature designed to destroy All Might," Kurogiri said.

"The final Boss of this game," Tomura said, walking up next to him.

"How?"

"The creature is imbued with multiple quirks." Izuku blinked. Multiple quirks?

"How is that possible?"

The master held up a hand and the air whipped and turned in his palm. In the other a ball of light appeared. "I possess the power to take and give quirks. The one I used to save you I found years ago. Sadly, my current condition prevented me from controlling the side effects, as you have noticed."

He nodded. "But how is that possible. I've heard of quirks that affect other quirks but nothing to that extent. How many are you able to hold and use at once? Is it even possible to use several at once? I don't know how…"

He went on mumbling for a while before a hand smacked his head.

"Ow!"

"Moving on," Shigaraki said, adjusting his glove. "You have a mental manual of people's quirks, right? You know their strengths and weaknesses."

Izuku nodded, remembering the journal Kacchan had burned and threw away.

"That knowledge can be of great use to Nomu's development," Kurogiri added.

Looking at the being that they promised would bring an end to All Might, he cast away any thoughts on the ethical side of it and looked only to the goal.

"All right," he said, walking back to the tank. "Where do we start?"


	6. Chapter 6

"Going out again?" Kastuki's mom called from the kitchen.

"None of your business!" he yelled, slamming the door before she responded.

Walking down the street, he looked to the setting sun. This had been his routine for the past few months. It allowed him to think more clearly. Strange how he used to scoff at the idea of having moments of quiet to think on one's feelings.

His thoughts turned to the U.A. upcoming Entrance Exam taking place three months from now. He was feeling pretty confident. His quirk was powerful and he had the will to act. Anyone that got in his way he'd crush.

At least that's what he'd liked to think. Those kinds of thoughts had become harder to grasp and maintain over time. It all stemmed to that night.

He stopped as the feelings of that night rushed in. After going over what he had seen and remembered, he had managed to calm down before anyone could tell that there was something wrong.

The dork wouldn't go _that_ far just from being taught a daily lesson by him. What he had said about jumping wasn't the worst thing he could say. No, he probably had just run off to do whatever nerds with hopeless dreams do.

That had to be it.

Gritting his teeth, he felt sparks pop in his hands. Growling, he thrust it to his left at wall, leaving a large scorch mark. After calming down, he looked around to make sure he was alone before moving on.

Sighing, he rubbed his face and tried to clear his mind. Whatever had happened that night, there wasn't any point in dwelling on it. Especially if he had no idea what really happened. Whatever his fears were had to be pushed down if he was going to achieve his dream.

As the night started to set in, he passed TV store and saw a news broadcast. Some gang of villains had been suppressed by Endeavor. Crime in that area had gotten rougher in past few years. As reporters tried to stop and interview him, the large, fiery man pushed through them, a look of bitter indifference.

He didn't know why, but looking at the Number 2 Hero made him feel uneasy. The cold, heartless look of his eyes cut into him like a knife. They almost seem to say 'none of you matter. There's only me.'

 _Is that what he saw in me?_ A voice in his head asked.

"Dammit," he growled, more sparks erupting from his palm. Turning the corner, he made his way back home, more unsure than before.

When he made it back home and went upstairs, he lay in bed. Turning towards his closet, he saw the pair of red shoes nearly hidden by darkness. Feeling a lump in his throat, he turned over and shut his eyes tightly.

"It wasn't my fault." Even after this long, saying it still didn't work.

As Ochako placed her sweaty workout clothes in a bag, her phone buzzed. Seeing it was her mom, she stopped and answered.

"Hey mom," she tried to keep the exhaustion out of her voice.

"Hey sweetie," her mother's voice rang out. "How was art club today?"

"It was good!" she said loudly, trying to drown out the sounds of fists on punching bags in the backround. "We're working on a new project that I'm excited about."

As she chatted about her day, she hoisted her bag up and made her way out the door.

"Nice job today, Ochako!" Her mentor called out from a nearby room. "Be sure to work on those punches!"

"What was that?" her mother asked. "Did someone say punches?"  
"Ah- no! He said 'hunches'" Ochako stammered, quickly waving and running out the door. "That was the main focus today. Paint based off hunches!"

"Okay," her mother said in a suspicious tone. "Anyway, are you on your way home?"

"Yeah, I'll have dinner ready for you when you get back from work," Ochako responded, jogging down the street as night time settled in.

"Oh...um, sweetie I can't make it to dinner tonight." Ochako slowed down. She felt the energy she had before ebb away. She new why before her mom even said anything.

"The staff is a little short tonight, so I'm filling in. I won't be back till after midnight."

Taking a quiet deep breath, Ochako composed herself. "No problem. I'll put some stuff in the fridge for you."

"Thanks,"her mother said, trying, but failing to keep the exhaustion out of her voice. "Also, there should be some letters from U.A. about the Entrance Exam coming in today, so be sure to check the mail."

Her energy kicked back in with that information. "Awesome! Thanks for reminding me!" A voice sounded on her mom's side.

"Oop, got to go," her mother said wearily. "Goodnight sweetie, love you."

"Alright, thanks for calling. Love you too! Say high to D-" she stopped herself as the call ended. The night suddenly seemed darker than it should've been. As she walked in silence, she tried not to think about it.

She should've gotten used to this. She understood why her mom really took the shift, but she didn't want to press the issue. As she approached her home, she remembered to check the mail and sure enough, there the papers were. Walking up the stairs, she read the letter detailing the Entrance Exam and the date. Only a few months from now.

While she started to cook dinner, the thought of it made her feel excited and nervous. This was one of the best schools for hero training, as well as churning out some of the best heroes. This was her chance.

The excitement created a tingle in her fingers as she brushed a pan, causing it to float. "Dang it," she cried, placing her hands together. "Release!" The pan fell back down with a loud clang, causing her to jump.

As silence settled in, doubt nawed at her. All kinds of people with all kinds of quirks would be trying out. People with quirks that could help fight and attract more attention. She frowned as these thoughts buzzed in her head.

 _That's why I joined fight club, right?_ It had been four months since she had joined the fight club and her skills had certainly improved, but would it be enough?

Her eyes moved over to the nearby cabinet, where several pictures stood. One showed her and her parents. Looking at her dad, whose smile and large figure had made her feel safe, instead caused pain. The sadness hidden in her mother's voice as she told her a reason for taking the night shift while Ochako heard the real one.

Tears flowed down her cheeks despite her best efforts to prevent them. Sniffling, she thought about what he would say. But when she did, the image of him now replaced the one of him then.

 _It's not your fault,_ her mom had said as she sat crying in bed, her voice convincing enough for anyone but her.

 _Think you'll help anyone by feeling bad? Get up and keep standing._ Her mentor's voice echoed in her head. Looking back at the photo, she wiped her nose and looked at the letter. Her future was detailed in that message and she would make sure it was.

 _I'll take care of us,_ she thought as she furiously cooked. She would make enough money for them. Anyone would who tried to stop her would fall by her word or her fist...when she improved her punches.

 _His hands moved almost mechanically as he focused on his work. The time had blurred to the point where hours and seconds were practically the same. Despite the aching of his hands, back, and eyes, Izuku pressed on._

" _I have to finish," he muttered. This was important. He couldn't fail. But as he thought this, he suddenly realized that he wasn't sure what he was working on. Looking down, he saw that his hands were obscured in shadow._

 _This momentary pause let the exhaustion rush in. Groaning, he rubbed his tired eyes. He froze as a warm, wet feeling sparked as his hands touched his face. Looking down, he saw a crimson substance all over his hands._

" _W-W-What the-." he stammered, his heart pounding violently. Almost as if in response, there was shifting in the darkness before him, followed by a pitiful, muffled mulling. Slowly, it morphed into a low gurgle, then a deep growl. A sickly green glow began to shine from beyond, shaping the shadows into a hulking shape. One with wide eyes, a beak like mouth, and an exposed brain. Blood covered its body, but it had no wounds. The motionless shapes at its feet told him enough._

 _Backing away, he felt a pair of hands stop him, grasping his shoulders. Turning, he saw a twisted black figure with several hands, bluish hair, and hollow eyes, grin wildly at him._

" _You're guilty by default," it rasped, pointing to the bodies at the feet of the abomination. Before he could respond, the beast ran at him, screaming. He tried to run, but the figure's hands held him in place. To his horror, he felt the skin and muscle beneath the hands break and turn to dust, sending pain stabbing into his body. The darkness rushed in, pain and terror consuming him. The image of his mom appeared briefly, faded and blurred. Frantically, he reached out to touch it._

Izuku woke up, crying out in terror. As his heaving chest slowed, he looked around. He was back in his room, the darkness minimal, the light a dull orange.

Looking down, he was sitting at his desk with several papers littering the surface.

Groaning, he rubbed his eyes, grateful that they were clean of any blood, physically at least. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. The time read 3:17. Groaning, he rubbed his eyes, grateful that they were clean of any blood, physically at least.

A knocking on the door caused him to jump. Standing, he opened it and found Kurogiri standing there.

"Are you alright, Izuku Midoriya?" the warp villain asked, his normally robotic tone laced with concern.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Izuku replied, trying to sound less tired. "Just….trouble sleeping."

"You have been working yourself beyond your limits these past few months. Perhaps you should rest. I could get you something to help ease-"

"No!" Izuku said, too loudly. Clearing his throat, he tried to calm his tone. "No, it's fine. Thank you, Mr. Kurogiri. I need to keep my mind clear if we're going to win."

Kurogiri nodded, though Izuku could almost see a frown in the expressionless mass of dark energy. "Very well. Let me know if you change your mind." He closed, leaving him alone.

Sighing, he turned back to his desk, determined to finish his work. He had to. As he moved back, he noticed his reflection. The sight disturbed him. His darker hair was longer, unkempt, almost wild. His bare chest, while more muscled and defined due to his increasingly harsh training, looked strangely thin, with ribs noticeable beneath the pale skin. Looking at his face, he saw deep shadows under his eyes.

This strain was more than he thought would be required. But his pale right eye reminded him why he couldn't sleep right now and he looked away.

The images and pain of the dream plagued him in the following hours, but he continued nonetheless.

"I'm not guilty," he muttered repeatedly, like a mantra. His mind was so murky that he couldn't tell if that helped. Did he still care?

"How is he?" Tomura asked later that day while playing a game.

"His body and mind is under constant strain. It's a miracle he hasn't completely broken down yet." Shigaraki felt amusement at the trace of annoyance in the man's voice.

"Aw, have you gone soft on him, Kurogiri?" he said mockingly, grinning as the boss he was fighting neared defeat.

"Not as much as you did." His character's attack missed and the boss hit him, killing him instantly. Turning away from the game over screen, he glared in shock and hatred.

"What was that?" he said quietly.

Kurogiri, realizing what he said, cleared his throat and backed up a step. "I meant no offense, Tomura Shigaraki. I merely point out that despite you vouching for his usefulness and character, you seem content with letting him destroy himself."

Shigaraki calmed down as he pondered these words. Ever since Izuku had started helping with their plans, his normally perky and nerdy attitude had waned to a certain degree. His training, while progressively yielding better results, showed signs of change. His student fought with a sort of wild, desperation. This, combined with the anger that Tomura occasionally sparked in him with taunts, made him formidable, but sloppy at times.

"It's the work in the lab," he said. "That's what's making him like this. I expected him to feel a little less righteous after he understood what he was doing with Nomu." His reaction to what Nomu really was had been priceless. Even though he wasn't doing the messy bits of the work, Tomura could see the stress and disgust in his eyes as he worked.

The whole 'I won't kill anyone' was ridiculous. Sure, his plan to ruin All Might's image was one way to get points, but it still didn't change the endgame.

"One way or another," he said, passing the warp villain," we're all gonna have blood on our hands. He just hasn't accepted it yet." As he made his way out into the hall, he remembered that day.

His hands were wet with blood, the room dark and silent. _His_ body was nothing but puddle, all except a hand.

 _Alone,_ he had thought. _I'm all alone._

He looked into Izuku's room, where he was sleeping. His body jerked and his face contorted in horror. Walking over, he placed his hand on the boy's head, keeping his thumb off. "You'll understand," Shigaraki whispered, as Izuku squirmed more in whatever nightmare he was having. "When you finally do it, you'll be fixed."


	7. Chapter 7

Toshinori entered the dark room where several others sat waiting, or in Aizawa's case, standing. The two locked eyes momentarily before exchanging a quick nod. He smirked. _Not much for formalities, huh?_

"Ah, All Might! Welcome!" Nezu hopped up in his seat and held out his hand. The others, one being cementoss stood up.

"Uh.. thank you, professor," he said sheepishly, awkwardly grasping the paw. "Hello everyone."

Cementoss grinned. "Nice to meet you. I'm a big fan."

Before he or anyone else could say anything, a dull, quiet, yet piercing voice sounded from behind. "The exam is about to start. Can we focus for a minute?"

There was an awkward silence as a few cast the Erasing hero an annoyed look.

 _Guess my research wasn't a waste of time_ , Toshinori thought. Aizawa was very much devoted to the efficiency of teaching and work. While he could certainly understand a devotion to work, the stories he heard about Aizawa were less than ideal. If this year was anything like what happened with his last class….

An hour later, the exam was nearing it's end and his worries seemed to be for nothing. While most of the students expectedly weren't going to make it, the ones that were showed a lot of promise. Still, he couldn't help but feel bad for the others. The strive to be a hero shouldn't be quelled by a mere test, but villains these days were too dangerous for the unprepared.

A few he noticed were anything but unprepared. There was that boy(the file said Bakugo). His quirk was certainly powerful and he used it well, gaining 60 points in fighting. But despite his wild and almost manic enthusiasm while fighting, he also showed a level of restraint, shortening his blasts whenever a person was too close. He never moved to help anyone, not directly. But some of his attacks did prevent a few from being hurt, gaining at least 15 rescue points.

Then there was that girl, Ochako Uraraka. Her quirk was almost the exact opposite. Despite this, she utilized it with several crude, but effective fighting skills, using her quirk on the robots and using her skills to send them flying before returning their gravity. Unlike Bakugo, she went out of her way to help others in danger, lifting debris and helping people fight off difficult opponents, gaining 30 combat points and 60 rescue points.

One that intrigued him was a strange boy, Shinso. His quirk was not what one would expect from a hero. While he didn't use it all that much, whenever he did, the way it was done made his character questionable. Sometimes, he would mind control others to immobilize his enemies, giving him an opening to attack, using an array of tools like a hammer to bash the robot's head.

In other cases, he worked with a small group, helping them when they were in a tough spot by distracting the robots.

When the zero point robot appeared, they really showed their potential. Shinso wisely chose to retreat from hi, Uraraka helped others run, and Bakugo damaged his, slowing it down, before retreating himself.

In all three of them, regardless of the action, Toshinori saw in their face and movements a strive, a pull towards something. A conviction.

When the exam was finished and the points were in, they all headed to the door.

"This year's lineup is looking to be an interesting bunch,"Nezu said, almost hopping as he walked.

"Yeah, I hope they'll be able to take my teaching seriously," Toshinori replied.

"Don't start praising them just yet," Aizawa said, walking past them. "There's still the first day."

A week later, Ochako walked approached the door. Stopping, she took a deep breath and opened it.

Walking to the bed, she sat in the chair and smiled.

"Hey Dad," she said. She held up the envelope she received. "I got a response from U.A. I'm...not sure if I'm can open it." Her voice trembled slightly. She was sure she underscored. She definitely messed up on those moves, she must have scored low. There was no response. She almost couldn't hear herself over the beeping of the monitor.

"No, I can do it," she corrected herself. Gripping his hand, she peeled open the envelope.

Bakugo sat at the edge of his bed, hand already on the envelope. His heart was pounding in his ears. A grin on his face.

But still, he hesitated. _What if I'm not good enough?_

He blinked. What the hell? Of course he was! He destroyed dozens of those metal freaks, and then some. He would've gotten more if he hadn't wasted his time with those weaklings. They were getting in his way. Why did he help them?

The answer made him sick with fear and anger.

No. He wouldn't think about it.

Shaking his head, he gripped the envelope and began to peel.

 _I'll make it in. I'll prove I'm a hero._

 _(To both of them)_

"I am here as a projection now!"

"You're probably wondering what I'm doing here. Well, in answer to your question, I will be teaching at U.A. High!

…."What? Oh, I mean I guess they'll probably figure that out but…

Wait, how many more of these!? Ugh!"

Izuku walked into the dark lab once more, the darkness before him no longer threatening.

Stopping, he got down on one knee. Looking up, he saw the master once more hidden in shadow, with Shigaraki and Kurogiri standing on either side. His mentor's eyes were alight, a grin almost visible behind the hand mask.

"Thank you for coming, Izuku. I hope you are doing well." Izuku nodded, but his tired eyes told a different story. The nightmares had only mildly subsided over the past few months.

"As well as I can," he responded calmly, trying to ignore his quickening heartbeat.

"Very good. It has been nearly 9 months. In that time, we have been mutually beneficial. We have helped strengthen you physically, and you in turn have helped our cause." Looking over to the tank, Izuku saw that it was empty.

"Despite this, we still need to be sure of your loyalty." As he spoke, Izuku thought he saw something move in the shadows near Tomura.

"How can I prove myself?" He asked quickly, standing up.

"The U.A. Entrance Exam took place a week ago. In addition to this, All Might will be teaching one of the classes."

 _He's gonna be a teacher?_ That idea made him feel sick.

"Our plan to take him out will take place in the next few days," Tomura added.

"What?" Izuku said, startled. He hadn't expected it to take place so soon. Composing himself, he continued. "Why so soon?"

"He'll be in a position where he'll be at his most vulnerable," the master said. "The area he'll be in will be isolated enough for us to strike without much interference. Also, given the information you provided, he can only use his power for only three hours a day. More than likely, he'll be doing his duties prior to when class begins, making him weaker."

The movement caught his attention again. This time, the movement became a shape that emerged from the shadows. Izuku had to resist the urge to back away as the hulking figure of Nomu came into the light.

It's black skin rippled with inhuman muscle, it's exposed brain pulsed, it's beaked maw hung open, and it's soulless eyes bore into him. While it hadn't changed much from it's original appearance, though that was only for the moment. Their work had hidden more unpleasant changes that thankfully weren't showing.

He tried not to think of the profile of who the beast used to be.

The plan sounded good, but there was something else about it.

"But even if he'll be weaker, he's still dangerous enough to give us problems."

Shigaraki scratched his neck. "You were a fanboy of his, right? Think about any time he didn't go all out."

He racked his brain for the footage of All Might he obsessively watched as a kid. There were times when a villain was giving him trouble where it appeared that he was holding back. As he thought about it more, he remembered that it usually happened when he was in….

He felt is blood run cold.

 _All Might is gonna be a teacher….at his most vulnerable….holding back_

"The students will be there. He won't risk their safety," he said quietly.

"We won't kill them unless absolutely, we'll inform our henchmen of this," Kurogiri said calmly.

"But you know plans. Things happen," Tomura said, his scratching intensifying. "That won't be a problem will it? After all, you won't be killing anyone."

For the first time in months, Izuku started to really doubt his position. He had sworn not to kill anyone, but if he was helping…..

He gripped his head as his altered eye pulsed in pain.

 _Not guilty...not guilty…_

Taking a deep breath, he removed all emotion from his face and responded coldly, "No. I already said that I would help in anyway I can. That hasn't changed." He held his hands behind his back, squeezing them tightly to stop the trembling.

The three men were silent for a moment. Then, to everyone's shock, the master stood up. Making his way slowly, and from his labored breathing, painfully, he walked to Izuku and stopped a few feet away. After a moment, he lifted his hand and held it out.

"Very good. Welcome Izuku."

"...to the Hero Academia! See you soon!" The hologram went off.


	8. Chapter 8

Shinso made his way towards the tall, white building before him. Dozens of other kids walked past him, not paying him much attention.

 _I'm actually here_. Several times, he had expected to wake up in bed, a message of rejection playing next to him. But he had made it. This was the first step towards his dream.

Once inside, he eventually found the room for Class 1A. Taking a deep breath, he slowly opened the door and took a cautious step inside.

"Greetings fellow student!" He nearly jumped at the loud, professional voice of the young man walking towards him.

"My name is Tenya IIda." He held out his hand. Shinso glanced down at it momentarily, then he grasped it in greeting.

"Shinso. A pleasure." Glancing around at the class, he noticed how many of them weren't paying attention to him. "This group has a lot of energy already."

"Yes. It's always good to feel energized in school. Though I hope it doesn't get to their heads. This is UA afterall. We have to be focused and- Hey! Get your feet off that desk you cretin!"

He marched over to where a kid with spiky blonde hair was lounging with his feet up on the desk. Their eyes met momentarily. His eyes widened before looking away, focusing on Iida as they got into an argument.

 _That was odd._

Most of them didn't appear very interesting, with some looking out of place. A short, purple boy glancing pervertedly at the many of the girls' skirts. There were a few others that stuck out more. A large, multi-armed man, and even one with a large bird's head. Prosiding over them was the booming voice of that Iida guy. They all chatted with each other, though a few glanced at him.

He glanced away whenever they did, his foot tapping impatiently. _Where's the teacher?_

Looking over to the otherside of the room, he noticed a young man with red and white hair sitting alone, like him. His cold eyes focused on a spot on the wall.

 _He looks familiar._ Then he realized who he must be. Shoto Todoroki, son of Endeavor. He had heard rumors of this, but for him to be in the same class….

He smirked. _Maybe things will be more interesting than I thought._

"Hey!" Ochako cried out as she entered the room. "Nice to meet you all."

Everyone looked over, a few responding in kind. Walking over to an empty seat, she sat down and looked around. Near the back of the room, she saw a boy with spiky blonde hair sitting alone. She waved at him, smiling. He glanced over at her and glared before looking away.

 _Not much for hellos, huh?_ Frowning, she turned back to find three people standing before her. A boy with red hair, a girl a frog-like face and a girl with pink skin.

"Sup? My name's Kirishima," the boy said.

"Asui, but you can call me Tsu," the frog girl croaked.

"Hi! I'm Ashido!" the pink girl chirped. "I don't know if you remember, but you helped me during the Entrance Exam when I was cornered!"

Ochako thought back to the Exam. It was hard to remember with all the fighting going on. But she did remember a girl that looked similar to Ashido that shot some liquid from her hands.

"Oh yeah! I remember now. I'm glad you got in."

"Thanks!"

"Ashido said you kicked some serious ass." Kirishima said, grinning while pumping his fist. "Good to see some metal in the class."

"So, what can you do?" Asui asked.

Before she could answer, a dull voice cut through the chatter.

"This isn't chatting hour. Everyone sit."

All went silent as everyone looked to the doorway. They were dumbstruck when they saw a tall, thin man with sunken eyes, wrapped in a sleeping bag standing there. Unsure of how else to respond, everyone slowly sat down.

The man sighed. "That was a pretty slow response. This won't stand long in this class."

He went on to give a fairly blunt introduction that made everyone feel less excited and more uncertain about what to expect.

All Might was lost in as he went over the files of the Class 1-A students. Most of them had gotten in through the Entrance Exam, but a few had gotten in through recommendation. Regardless, he picked out a few from each group that had promise:

 _Momo Yaoyorozu. Quirk: Creation._ She was pretty smart and her quirk was definitely useful. Further down the paper, it said that she was able to work well with students in previous schools, but is prone to extreme reaction when faced with failure. Not a fully demeaning quality, but one to watch out for.

 _Shoto Todoroki. Quirk: Half Cold- Half Hot._ Endeavor's boy. He had a good mind for situations and his mastery over his quirk was almost masterful. But he was noted to rarely, almost never use his left side. In addition, his physical prowess was less than he felt comfortable with. A hero who doesn't utilize all that they can won't last long in a serious fight, but he was still an option.

 _Tenya Iida: Quirk. Engine._ The youngest of the Iida family. A pretty well known and accomplished family. His intelligence rivaled Yaoyorozu, if not surpassed it. His quirk, while useful, wasn't quite suited for combat. If he's able to adapt and utilize it more

effectively, he could be a potential choice.

 _Tokoyami Fumikage. Quirk: Dark Shadow._ He was noted to be a fairly reserved, overall serious student. A clear mind is good to have as a hero. While his quirk was powerful, it could be dangerous, as he lost control if activated in darkness. Most quirks were dangerous, but those that people lost control of were even more so.

 _Ochako Uraraka. Quirk: Zero Gravity._ While not noted for anything great grade wise, she was noted for being extremely devoted to working hard despite her results. Her performance during the Entrance Exam definitely displayed a heroism that caught his eye. Her quirk would leave her at a disadvantage in bad fight however. Though she was able to fight hand to hand decently enough, that could only take you so far.

 _Katsuki Bakugo. Quirk: Explosion._ He received pretty good grades in middle school for a keen intellect and his prowess during the Entrance Exam was extremely impressive. But he was noted to be extremely hot headed and volatile to others. Social interaction was important if one wanted to be a hero, so he would have to improve.

 _Hitoshi Shinso. Quirk: Brainwashing._ This one caught his eye in particular. His accomplishments in school weren't notable, but he displayed a determination in the Entrance Exam that was worth noting. His quirk, however, was controversial. Most quirks that involved control over the mind or body in any way were always looked down on for being _villainous._ This didn't bother him as much, but he wondered how One for All would affect it.

As he continued reading, he wondered how they'd do on the first day...or if they'd even survive it. Aizawa was a pretty harsh teacher, going for efficiency and nothing less….

 _Whoever is last will be expelled._

Those words, above all else, was burned into their minds as they worked through each test. All the while their Teacher watched them with a bored, yet piercing gaze.

Bakugo wasn't concerned in the slightest. The only thing he was worried about was not getting first place.

In every test, he let off a few bursts, smiling at the others' reactions. Letting loose like this was pretty fun. He smiled to himself. _Keep watching._

The next test was sit ups and Shinso had to find a partner. While looking around, he felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning, he saw a tall boy with short blonde hair and a large tail standing behind him. "Hey, need a partner?" his voice annoyingly friendly.

"Sure. Thanks."

While he held his feet down during the test, the boy tried to make conversation.

"Pretty nerve wracking, eh? Never expected the teacher to be so hard on us so soon."

"Being a hero requires a lot of work and efficiency. There isn't a whole lot of room to slack off," Shinso replied.

All those years struggling to move ahead with all of those people. People with 'heroic' quirks that had the advantage. It hadn't been an easy journey. It shouldn't start being one now.

"I guess. But I hope we'll have time to get to have some fun, you know?" Shinso stopped as he reached the end of the sit up rep.

"Maybe. Your turn for the test…?"

"Ojiro," he answered, pulling Shinso up.

As they switched, Shinso felt a strange feeling. Something about this guy reminded him of…..

"Hey man, you ready?" He blinked and shook his head.

"Sorry, just thinking."

Ochako felt her chest tightening with each test passed. Most of them weren't all that different from the stuff she did in middle school. Despite this, their teacher's threat of expulsion weighed heavy on her mind.

"Are you okay?" Ashido asked, tapping her shoulder, causing her to jump.

"Huh? Oh, yeah I'm okay. Just a little nervous."

"You're doing fine. You can afford to take it easy," Asui croaked.

Ochako sighed as the exhaustion caught up with her. "You sound like my mom." Ever since the incident, she had always been fretting over anything mildly stressful that she did. She wanted tell her not to bother her, but how could she?

"Are you okay?" Asui asked. Ochako realized that tears were welling in her eyes, wiping them away, she forced a smile.

"Yeah, I'm just tired. Come on, let's start the next test!"

She hurried off before they could respond.

Aizawa stood and watched as the batch of students finished up the tests. As they gathered around the screen to see their scores, he pondered over their progress.

Most of them had done fairly decent enough, with a few like Todoroki, Bakugo, and a few others exceeding the standard.

Others like Mineta, Ochako, Shinso, and Tooru(how she got pass the Entrance Exam, he had know idea) noticeably struggled hard despite their passive quirks. In a real situation, they would be at a serious disadvantage.

"Alright. It's time to show your scores. They're ranked from highest to lowest. You should know where you stand." With that, he pressed the button, displaying the scores.

Shinso: _20th_

Ochako: _13th_

Bakugo: _2nd_

Shinso felt blood roaring in his ears. His fists shook as he stared wide eyed at the board.

 _No…..._ After all of this, he would fail just after reaching UA?

 _You can be a hero. Don't let those guys tell you what a quirk can be for!_ That voice rang from deep within his head, making his eyes burn.

 _I'm sorry…_

"Oh, and I was kidding. No one's going home.

….

Everyone: WHHHHHAAATTTTT!?


	9. Chapter 9

The next day, Toshinori was sitting in his room, listening as the clock ticked and tocked, getting ever closer to the time. Each click seemed to make him more and more anxious.

 _Dammit,_ he thought, angrily gritting his teeth. _Come on, you idiot. It's just teaching._

"You'll be taking them to the training area for a team activity," Aizawa had said earlier that day. "I've gotten the names down on a list for you to remember."

"Come on now, Aizawa! How can I be the Symbol of Peace and not have a good memory?" He let out a bellowing laugh.

"Very easily, as you've demonstrated." That shut him up quick.

Breathing deeply, he stood up and made his way to the door. Clenching the knob, he felt his chest tighten as his body swelled and his skin tingled with power.

And with that, All Might embarked on his newest journey, teaching at U.A.

Class 1-A sat in somewhat awkward silence as they waited for their teacher to show up.

After a moment, Mineta piped up.

"So….do any of you ladies-"

"I AM HERE!"

The door burst open.

"COMING THROUGH THE DOOR LIKE A HERO!"

The students all looked at him, mouths dropped like broken hinges.

"There he is," Bakugo said quietly, grinning.

"So cool!" Ochako squealed.

Shinso merely straightened up and stared attentively. _This is it._ It all started here. After the near miss the previous day, it was all uphill with All Might helping.

"I hope you're all energized, cause we got an exciting day ahead of us!" He reached to pull the remote for the locker doors out of his back pocket, flinching as he almost pulled out his teacher's manual.

"It's good to embody all the traits of a hero, but another crucial part...is lookin good!" He clicked the button and the costumes came out. "Put those on and meet me down at the training grounds!"

Shinso picked at his costume, trying not to notice the flashy design of the others. He didn't come from much, even so, his imagination could use some work. It was a simple U.A. gym uniform equipped with his two weapons, his AVC(artificial vocal cord) mask and his capturing cloth, similar to Eraserhead's.

"Can you believe that All Might's teaching us," an excited voice said behind him. Turning, he saw that guy, Ojiro standing there wearing a karate-suit.

"Yeah I can. Doesn't make any less overwhelming," he responded honestly. "Guess we really have to try our best."

Ojiro smiled sheepishly. "No kidding." He then pointed at Shinso's AVC. "So, what's that for."

Shinso hesitated to respond. Most conversations typically went like this. People were nice, and then they learned what his quirk was.

 _Well, I'm already in U.A. What harm is there setting boundaries?_

"It's for my quirk," he started. But before he could finish, they heard a commotion. The short guy, Mineta had found a hole in the wall leading to the girl's room. He and a few others were arguing, with Iida being restrained from stopping him.

"Sheesh, that guy is sick," Ojiro said.

"I got it," Shinso said, grinning slightly. "Hey, grape head!"

Mineta whipped around before he could look into the hole. "What'd you c-"

He stopped suddenly, a glazed look coming over his eyes. The others watched, stunned.

"Whoa, what did you do?" Ojiro asked.

"DId you freeze him?" the red haired guy, Kirishima asked, waving a hand in front of Mineta's face.

Without answering, he gestured for Mineta to raise his fist.

"You're being immature. Punish yourself." In response, Mineta punched himself in the groin. There was collective 'oof' in the room. At that exact moment, he released the control and left the room, Mineta's wail of pain echoing behind him.

"Cool costume, Ochako," Asui commented.

"Thanks!" In reality, Ochako thought it could use some work. Despite her requests, the costume was skin tight and less padded on the arms and legs than she hoped.

"Can you believe what that Mineta guy did back there?" Mina asked incredulously, shaking her head angrily.

"What do you think happened to him in there?" Ochako asked. Just as they had discovered the hole and Jiro was about to plug it up, they heard him scream in pain.

"Yeah, he got punished, don't worry," Kirishima said sheepishly, walking up.

All three of them glared at him suspiciously.

"Hey, I was one of the guys trying to stop him! But the one that did," he pointed to a tall guy with messy purple hair, "he...I don't know, took control of his mind, made Mineta punch himself in the jewels."

Ochako looked at the boy, feeling a little apprehensive. A quirk that could allow someone to control someone else….that was a pretty scary power.

"I wouldn't want to fight him," Asui said.

As the group walked down the hall, Bakugo paid them no mind. All that mattered was the growing white entryway ahead of them and what lay beyond. He eagerly scratched at his gauntlets in anticipation.

 _Only one reason why they'd want us to bring our costumes._ _There's gonna be some action._ Finally, he'd be able to prove himself to the Symbol of Peace himself! And with that, his first step to being number one would be taken.

All Might watched as the group emerged wearing their costumes. While they could use some work, they were still pretty impressive. To be fair, his own first attempt wasn't ideal.

"They say that clothes make the pros, young ladies and gentleman, and behold! You are the proof! Take this to heart, starting now, you are all heroes in training!"

With that, he went on to explain the training. While going over how the teams were set up, Shinso felt a little anxious. He knew it was only training, but the idea of being put on the villain side made him nervous.

The class knew of his quirk now, and from the way the avoided eye contact, they had already labeled him.

 _Whatever, I can get by._

Then All Might listed off the teams.

Heroes: Villains:

Ochako-Kirishima Bakugo-Shoto

Shinso-Ojiro Iida-Yaoyorozu

Etc Etc

 _10 min later…._

"Hey, wait up!" Ojiro called as Shinso walked along with the rest of the group to watch the first match.

Shinso stopped and frowned. "What?"

"Um, we're teammates? We have to stick together and come up with a plan." He smiled, punching him lightly in the shoulder.

 _Well this is unexpected._ Usually people gave him the cold shoulder after they saw what he could do. Either that or tell him what he should use it for. He wasn't used to getting playful sore shoulder.

Rubbing it, he smirked and said, "Alright. Let's go."

As they walked, Shinso looked to the other two they were going against, Iida Yaoyorozu. They were strong, fast, and had pretty powerful quirks.

 _More than likely, Iida will have told her about my quirk._ He almost hit himself for his previous action. Arrogance wasn't going to help him in the long run, especially if people always placed him in the villain spectrum.

"We're going against a runner and a builder. All we have is your tail and my voice. Not the best odds."

Ojiro thought for a moment. "Yeah, and they're pretty sharp, though I think we'll know when Iida is coming, assuming he comes for us."

Shinso chuckled. "He is pretty loud. But we should prepare for any outcomes."

Ojiro suddenly snapped his fingers and grinned. "I might have an idea."

While Ochako and Kirishima waited at the bottom outside the building, planning how to attack, Bakugo and Shoto stood in awkward silence.

After a moment, Shoto finally spoke.

"So, what's the plan?"

Bakugo thought for a moment. "From I what I remember from practice, that girl can make things weightless and that guy can harden his skin. Against my fire power and your ability, it's a pretty easy fight." He smirked. Maybe All Might should've been a bit more careful when he picked the teams.

"Your blasts won't matter much if he can harden his skin, especially if they canboth fight in close combat. From what I've seen, neither of us are good in that area."

"Yeah right!" Bakugo scoffed, sending off a few blasts for effect. "With our quirks, that'll be enough. Explosions, Ice and fire? They won't stand a chance!"

Shoto shifted uncomfortably before responding. "I'm not using my left side."

Bakugo blinked. "What? Why not!?"

"None of your business."

"None of m- You're in U.A. dammit! You can't expect to get through with only half your power!"

Shoto shrugged. "I'll get by and it won't kill you. I'm pretty sure we can think of a plan."

Gritting his teeth, Bakugo stepped forward until he was a foot away from Shoto, who's cold, green eyes betrayed no emotion.

"Listen up, Icy Hot, don't think that just because you're pops is the number 2 hero that you get to slack off!"

That seemed to touch a nerve. Shoto, his eyes flashing with anger, roughly pushed him away, catching by surprise.

Barely catching himself, he looked up in surprise.

 _You little…!_

"Hey! No fighting amongst ourselves now!" All Might's voice boomed from the microphone in his ear.

"But he star-" he stopped himself, and stood against the wall fuming. Looking up at Shoto, who was still glowering, he saw something that gave pause to his anger. Behind the anger in his eyes, there was something else.

Whatever it was, it stirred up a familiar feeling that he desperately tried to shrug off. That cold, tightening in his chest started up.

 _Shit, not now!_ He had to do something, anything! _We're not gonna stand a chance if we don't work together._ This rationalizing helped him calm down a bit, allowing him to do something he hadn't done before.

"Look….sorry if I offended you with….whatever I said." Shoto blinked, his surprise mimicking what Bakugo felt. "If we're gonna win this….we gotta….I don't know….communicate."

Shoto was silent for a moment. "It's fine. You're right, we gotta plan something." As the siren sounded, announcing the start of the match, Shoto spoke up.

"I got something that might work, if you're willing to be out in the open."

Bakugo grinned, pushing himself from the wall. "That's my specialty."

 _What am I getting myself into?_ Shoto thought.

 **Hey guys, I'd like to thank you all again for following this series! You may have have noticed that the chapters are coming out later than usual. It's been getting a little harder to write these up with finals week coming up, but I'll be able to finish the Part of this series more effectively after the next few weeks.**

 **Stay tuned!**


	10. Chapter 10

The group watched as both teams began to enact their plans. On one screen, Bakugo left the room and made his way down the hall. On the other, Kirishma and Uraraka inched their way through the building, their eyes scouring every shadow and corner.

"Why is Bakugo leaving?" asked Kaminari.

"Not good teamwork just ditching your partner," Jiro added.

"Very true. But it's best to watch and see before making assumptions," All Might cautioned. While their initial interaction would detract from their overall performance, their ability to recover and plan would definitely help. The plan was risky, but the effort was what counted.

"So, who do you think will pop up first?" Ochako asked.

"Hmmm. Probably that Bakugo guy," Kirishima responded.

That was what she had thought as well. While he didn't talk much, his behaviour during the tests told a lot. Flashy and a show off.

"What should we do if he shows up? His quirk is pretty dangerous."

Kirishima stopped to consider. "It'll probably be better for me to fight him. We're both good fighters, but my quirk is better for defending against that kind of power." Before she could respond, a voice sounded nearby.

"You sure about that!?" A huge explosion blasted apart the wall before them, knocking them back. Groaning, Ochako looked up to see Bakugo standing amongst the smoke, a wicked grin on his face. _How did he know we-?_

"You guys talk too loud!" he laughed. "Don't go surrendering on me now, though!" He blasted forward.

Before she could move, a blur of red rushed in front of her. Another explosion went off, but it was dulled slightly.

"Uraraka, you go on ahead! I'll hold him off!" She nodded and ran down the hallway to her right. After making it safely, she spotted the staircase and headed for it. But before she made it halfway to it, she stopped.

 _What am I doing?_ _Why am I running?_ How could she do that? All that time training and she's gonna run from her first real fight?

"No, not again." Turning, she ran back.

"Hey, she turned back!" Mina exclaimed, hopping up and down.

"Good thing too," Mineta added. "Kirishima is getting wrecked."

All Might said nothing as he watched. _Going back to help a teammate. She's treating it like a real situation._

Whatever Bakugo and Shoto's plan was, it wasn't going well.

Kirishima knew Bakugo was tough, but this was ridiculous. At first, they seemed evenly matched. He hardened his whole body and was able to resist the blows. He refrained from punching him, not wanting to do too much damage.

Sadly, Bakugo didn't share that sentiment as he was relentless with his explosions. Slowly, he felt his defenses weakening. _I can't hold it like this for too long. Dammit!_

Finally, a punch landed into his stomach, winding him. He fell back, dazed and in pain.

"Nice try," Bakugo mocked. "Can't defend against me."

 _Shit. I can't lose now!_ Bakugo's foot on his chest stopped him from getting up.

"Hey, Icey Hot." I got Kirishima. You can come down to get the gravity girl."

But just as he was about to lose consciousness, a pink blur darted out and hit Bakugo on the side of the head, knocking him into the wall.

Kirishima blinked. "What the…?"

"Come on, get up!" Ochako said, holding out her hand.

Grabbing, Kirishima pulled himself up. Looking over, he saw Bakugo was dazed, half conscious against the wall. "Thanks, but why did you come back?"

She smiled and punched his arm. "I'm not running away from a fight. Plus, I was about to say before he interrupted. You'd probably do better against Todoroki. You could break out of his ice. I can't."

Kirishima nodded. "We should be careful going up. He called for Todoroki when he had me down."

A growl sounded from Bakugo. He was starting to come to.

They both reached for their capture tape.

"Where did it go?" Ochako murmured nervously.

Kirishima cursed. "They probably fell off in the explosion." They glanced around at the rubble. "We don't have time. Let's go." With that they ran down the hall.

"They did well," Iida said.

"Sucks that they couldn't bind Bakugo, though," Satou cut in. "He's gonna be pissed when he wakes up."

 _So far, both teams have had their ups and downs. Let's see how well this goes._

A few minutes later, they were sneaking their way up the stairs leading to the top floor.

"Ready?" Kirishima asked.

Ochako nodded. They peaked through the doorway and saw…..

"Where is he?" Kirishima asked quietly.

They edged in slowly, looking at the pillars nervously.

As they got within ten feet of the Bomb, the ground suddenly dropped in temperature and their feet stuck to the ground.

"What the-?"Ochako pulled, but her feet wouldn't budge.

"Looks like the plan worked." Turning, they saw Todoroki climbing in from the back window, having been standing on an icy platform just out of sight. His right hand was on the ground, ice radiating outward.

"Dammit!" Kirishima cursed, punching at his feet. Suddenly, ice erupted between the two of them, forming a thick wall. Looking forward, he saw that it cut him off from the Bomb. He was completely cut off.

 _It was trap all along?_

 _Meet them down there and fight them. Try to separate them if you can. If you get one cornered, make it seem like I'm coming down to help finish them off._

It was convoluted for sure, but it was the best he could think of given the circumstances. He wasn't sure if it would work, considering Bakugo was actually beaten. But it all worked out.

"Looks like you lost."

"Oh no!" Mina said, stomping her foot.

"That was anti-climatic," Kaminari said.

"Now now, students. Whether climatic or not, what matters is what's learned. In addition, it shows a sad truth that we heroes don't always win, which is why we must strive to never do so!"

He was about to speak to both teams when a loud, indiscernible roared into his ear, nearly knocking him off balance.

 _Oh no….Bakugo._

"Young Bakugo, don't use it it!"

The ground beneath them rumbled, causing the ice to crack.

 _What was that?_ Ochako looked back at Todoroki, even he looked surprised.

Suddenly, the ground in front of her exploded, tearing up and through the ceiling. The ice holding her completely shattered, freeing her.

"DAMN YOU!" Looking up, she saw Bakugo standing at the lip of the hole, his eyes animalistic with rage.

 _How did he do that?_ She looked at his right gauntlet, which was glowing red.

"Dammit, Bakugo!" Todoroki yelled, trying to freeze the ground again. Ochako was ready this time. She jumped and pressed her hands together, her quirk keeping her in the air.

"Shut up, Icy hot! Just keep the red guy down!" He raised his hand menacingly, explosions popping between his fingers. "She's mine."

Shoto sighed and ran to Kirishima, who had already started to make his way to the Bomb. He sent ice to trap and block, but he started pounding away at the obstacles.

Ochako looked at Bakugo as he walked towards her.

 _This is bad. He's faster and stronger. He isn't afraid to hurt his classmates. I just need to out maneuver him._

He suddenly blasted towards her, his mouth curled in a fierce snarl.

 _Oh God!_ She dropped to dodge, his hand missing by an inch. She pushed off of his shoulder, transferring the quirk's effects to him.

Suddenly, he was floating away from her.

 _What the hell!?_

"Hey! You little-You're dead! You hear me? Dead!"

Ochako laughed a little, than ran to help Kirishima.

Enji smashed the newly formed ice holding him.

 _Okay, this is getting annoying._ He looked at Shoto, who was running to catch up to him while trying to stall him. His arm was starting to frost over and his breathing getting more ragged.

His annoyance faded, giving way to concern.

 _He's freezing over._

Turning around, he ran at Shoto. His eyes widening, he attempted to freeze him in place, but Enji dodged them all. When he got close, he swung his fist around, knocking Shoto to the ground out cold.

"Sorry pal. Don't want you getting hurt." Turning back around, he saw Ochako running to the Bomb. He was about to run and join her when he felt a burst of wind. Looking back, he saw Bakugo blasting his way towards the bomb, even faster than before.

"Look out!" He yelled.

Ochako turned and yelped, pressing her hands together. Bakugo suddenly decreased in speed, skidding on the ground before stopping between her and the Bomb. Not giving any time, he slammed his hand down in a big explosion. She was just able to use her quirk on herself when she was sent flying back. After a few moments, her stomach knotted and she had to stop. She stopped and fell to the ground, retching multicolored dust.

 _I'm at my limit. Why now!?_

She couldn't risk anymore, or else she might really hurt herself. Taking a shaky breath, she started to push herself up, unaware of the blasted hole in the wall behind her.

"Back for round two, huh?" Bakugo sneered, breathing heavily.

Kirishima cracked his knuckles. "Just warming up."

 _Looks like I'll have to crack him this time._ Just as he was about to use the other gauntlet, All Might's voice came through.

"If you use that again, your team will be disqualified."

He gritted his teeth. "Dammit," he muttered. "Looks like I'll have to get my hands dirty again."

Just as he was about to rush forward, his eye glanced over to a large hole in the wall to his left. It must have opened in the first explosion. He then saw that gravity girl standing at the very edge, looking sick. The ground beneath her was still icy and slanting towards the edge.

 _Moron,_ he thought. She'd learn not to mess with him after he was done with this guy. But something about the sight made him feel uneasy. His heart started pounding and a tiny pain in the back of his head flared.

 _What the hell? What's going-_

The girl, now standing, started to slip and lost her balance. She fell towards the edge.

 _Red shoes at the ledge. No sign of him._

His mind snapping back to reality, his mouth opened and words came out faster than he could process them.

"GET AWAY FROM THERE YOU IDIOT!"

Ochako tried to stay steady, but the ice made it impossible. She slipped and fell backward. As she did, she felt sunlight hit her face. It was then she realized that there was no wall, only an edge.

 _Oh no…._

She put her hands together, but only felt a twinge in her gut.

 _No no no no no no…._

Everything was silent, almost in slow motion.

She frantically grabbed at the ledge, one hand gripping a loose bit of stone that started to crumble.

 _I can't….I can't….._

" _Hey sweetie. I happy that you want to help us. But I'd be happier if you achieved your own dreams."_

 _Dad…_

Just as her hand came loose, another snatched her arm. Looking up, she was surprised to see Bakugo there, a wild look in his eyes. With a growl, he pulled her up and flung her away from the ledge.

As she tried to come back to her senses, she heard a voice calling out.

"Hey! Are you alright?" He helped her to her feet.

"Y-Yeah. I'm okay." Looking over at Bakugo, he stood with his back to them, unnatrually still.

"T-Thanks," she said weakly.

He said nothing for a few moments. Then…

"What!? What do you mean we lost!?"

He glanced over to his left. They followed his gaze and saw that the bomb was destroyed.

 _I must've blasted it when I….._

 _Why did I do that?_

Shaking his head, he let out an angry yell.

Then he pointed a finger at the pair. "You got lucky this time!" He then stomped off.

There was a moment of awkward silence.

"So….we won?" Kirishima asked.

"I guess," Ochako responded, watching as Bakugo left. That look in his eyes when he saved her. She couldn't make it out. It was like fear but, not quite. In fact, it was almost familiar.

Shaking her head, she pointed at Shoto. "We should help him up."

Kirishima nodded and they went to help their classmate.


	11. Chapter 11

His breaths came out in ragged gasps as he stood alone in the body ached all over, with a few cuts letting blood loose down his tattered training gear. All was silent, and then…

"Again," rang out the rasp of his mentor's voice. Suddenly, the darkness around him darted towards him in a number of shapes. One tall and thin, another short and round, and the third unidentifiable.

On instinct, he dodged the first blow to his head, ducking and rolling to left. Before he could continue, he felt his skin tingle and put up his arms to block the next blow. Gritting his teeth as his arms screamed in pain, he kicked back away and jumped forward with a punch, aiming for the exposed brain of his opponent. It let out an enraged screech and fell backward.

Watching from the distance, Shigaraki crossed his arms and remained silent.

"He is improving," Kurogiri commented. "Don't you agree?"

Shigaraki tapped his finger impatiently. "He isn't failing. But he's not quite there. Just a little push…."

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a remote control device and eagerly rubbed the button as he watched.

 _A few days ago…._

" _Let's not get carried away," Shigaraki cut in, interrupting Izuku's indoctrination into the League._

" _Have something to add, Tomura?" his master asked calmly. Izuku looked up at him, frowning._

" _I'm glad that you'll be helping us," he added quickly. "But I'm not entirely convinced that you're ready."_

" _B-But you trained me! You've seen what I can do!" Izuku cried out, his voice mixed with frustration and panic._

" _He has also been of great service to the development of the Nomu," Kurogiri added with a touch of annoyance,_

" _Sure, the tutorial has been good. But what about the actual game?" he looked at Izuku, his eyes looking into his. There was something there. He felt it when they first started surveying him and caught a glimpse of it during training. If he could find bring it out…._

" _I'd like to test him," he looked to his master. "Can I use them?"_

 _His master was silent for a moment, then he grinned. "Very well."_

Izuku hadn't known that there had been more than of these things. He'd prefer if there only been one. While not as big or as destructive as the one he worked on was, these weren't pushovers. Each one had enhanced speed and strength. Were it not for the training he had received, he'd have been dead by now.

After dodging another punch, he grabbed it's arm and threw it at another, knocking them both to the ground motionless.

Looking up, he saw only one left standing. He readied his stance and held up his fists. Then he looked into its eyes, blank and emotionless. Who had they been? Where had they come from? What quirk did they have? Doubt flooded his mind again, weakening his stance….

Shigaraki cursed. _Don't lose it now!_

With a sneer, he pressed the button.

The nomu went ridged, it's eyes going white. Izuku blinked.

 _What the…._

Suddenly, the black skin began to bubble and erupt, releasing spikes dripping foul fluid. It fell on all fours, it's back arching and stretching. It's eyes darkened into a deep scarlet and a blackened shell grew over it's brain.

Izuku backed away, his heart pounding furiously as fear over took him. He looked over at his mentor, who's face was again hidden by a white palm.

"Mr. Shigaraki!" He called out. He made no movement, saying only one thing.

"Again…."

Looking back at the Nomu, it was now twice as large and long, thin and spindly, with spikes and a noxious fume emitting from it. The twisted, dragon-like thing broke out into a run, screaming in rage.

"Tomura Shigaraki, this is too much," Kurogiri said angrily, his energy starting to spread outwards. "I'm stopping this now!"

Tomura's hand darted out and grabbed the metal base, thumb just over the surface.

"Just shut up and watch." His voice was dangerously calm, a reoccuring anomaly in the past few months.

" _Master, those quirks being used for the main Nomu, do you have any with a similar effect? Specifically 'that' one?"_

" _Yes, why do you ask?"_

" _I'd like to try something out. There's something in that kid and I want to see if I can bring it out."_

" _Hmmm, very well. But...this will be rather unstable. I trust you know what you're doing."_

This would make or break for him. Figuratively and literally.

"Come on, kid," he muttered. "Just a little push and you'll be there."

The thing darted out at him, he jumped to the side, barely missing by an inch. Just as he managed to regain his footing, a side swipe caught him in the side, raking open his shoulder.

He cried out, his whole right side exploding in pain. Before he could recover, another blow to the head sent him flying, slamming into the concrete floor. Groaning, he struggled to stand up.

 _Why can't I breathe?_ The air had grown thick and heavy since that thing changed. Those fluids were now in his wounds, making his blood hot and his head hurt. He coughed, blood retching up.

 _I'm gonna die._ After all these months and all that training, finding a purpose again, he'd die before helping his saviors change the world.

Through all the pain, he felt something in his chest, a cold, pulsing weight that raged against the poison. This feeling, it made his suffocation worse, but for a different reason. A urge, a desire for release. He had felt it, a glimmer of it during his training, a reserve a rage and fury that he didn't want to let out.

Gritting his teeth, he tried to push himself up, but he felt his arms shaking violently with fear. The creature roared and moved slowly towards him, saliva dripping from it's horrid mouth while it's empty eyes burned into them.

Looking into them, he saw himself, lying on the ground in a pool of poison and blood. But rather than seeing a look of defeat, he saw something that chilled his blood. On his face in that scarlet portal was wide, inhuman grin. Seeing that made the feeling in his chest grow more intense.

Desperately, he tried to think of his mother, tried to find her voice again. Her smiling face as he tried to be what he never could. The warmth of her hand on his cheek. But all he heard was rasping breaths and saw a pale, dying memory of a light that wasn't there.

Rising in it's place was a dark, but welcoming figure covered in hands.

" _That abyss so deep that you think you'll never crawl out. But there's always a way out. If the light can't show you anything, then claw through the dark until you find a foothold."_

Darkness…

The nomu reached down with a clawed hand, grabbing the motionless body, lifting it towards it's mouth. Suddenly, the boy twitched. Before it could react, he opened his mouth bit down on it's hand, breaking the skin.

It screamed in pain and anger, releasing the him.

Backing away, the thing lunged forward with a large claw. He dodged and shot out at it's exposed slammed his foot into it's knee, bending it's leg inward, following up with a sharp punch. Before it could respond, he pulled it's limp arm and jumped forward, pulling it unnaturally over it's shoulder.

Kurogiri flinched as the sounds of bone snapping reached them.

 _Good god…._

The boy's recovery was comforting, but the look in his eyes….

They were wild and bloodshot, with a cruel grin on his face.

He glanced at Tomura Shigaraki. _What have you done?_

As it screamed in pain, it darted around, throwing him off. Rolling onto the ground, the creature ran at him again, but slower this time. Grinning with excitement, he ran to meet it. He swung his fist at it's jaw before blocking a strike from it's other claw, wincing as the claws sunk into his arm. It recovered and lunged at him with it's jaws open. He grabbed both ends.

As it tried to bite down, it hissed venomously.

In response, he let out a feral growl that made it falter slightly.

" _This freak won't let up, will it?"_ He looked at it's wounded arm, which was already healing. Gritting his teeth as the preasure built, he looked at it's brain, which was partially covered with a shell. He grinned.

"Want a bite, do you!?" He screamed. "Then take one!" With that, he let the thing go and felt it's teeth sink into his right shoulder. The pain was unbearable, but through sheer force of will he gripped the shell on it's head with both hands and wrenched it off a part of it, releasing foul fluids. Before it realized what was happening, he took the jagged shell piece and plunged it into the brain. He felt it's screams vibrating in it's throat and begin to release as it's mouth unhinged. But he stabbed down again and again, blood spurting everywhere.

It let go finally and stumbled back, jibbering and moaning. Adrenaline still high, he smiled and rushed forward, knocking it onto it's back. He stabbed into it's chest, screaming or laughing, he didn't know nor care. For what felt like hours he sat there, brutalizing the thing.

After only a few moments though, his strength began to fade when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Well done," his mentor said. Suddenly, the strength and rage fled his body, leaving him even weaker. The pain was dulled, but growing worse with each second. With that, the realization of what he had just done hit him. Tears flooded from his eyes. It wasn't dread this time, but happiness. For the first time since that terrible night he felt whole again. Releasing that...feeling…..

"N-Not...G-Gui.." he stuttered, his vision fading.

"Shhhh," rest now. He felt a hand go through his hair, calming him into sleep.

Shigaraki smiled and stood, holding Izuku in his arms. Turning, he made for the exit. Kurogiri stood there, shock noticeable even on his unknowable face.

"Clean up this mess, will you?" He smirked as he left. Looking down, he felt a strange emotion as he saw the bloodstained child's face. Something he felt from only one other person. Pride….

 _You've taken your first real step.._


End file.
